Re: OK, the results

[dlevy@worldy.com]

At 08:16 AM 11/22/96 -0500, you wrote:
>
I understand _slowly_. I am a speed reader, but, it has taken me more time
to get to page 46, than one can imagine. I keep rereading every word, every
paragraph and each idea. I think it could be one of those books which books
could be written about. I too prefer simplicity in equipment. I recently
acquired an AF, Zoom lens outfit. Tried it for a couple of rolls and went to
the camera show and traded it out. I can look at something for long periods
of time before I even think about setting up the tripod. On a good day, I
may shoot 6 - 7 exposures. Even with my large system which has lenses from
wide to tele, I tend to use the 75mm (standard) with the 120 back or 40mm
with the 35mm back. With the Leica I use the 40mm almost exclusively except
when I do a portrait.

I do have a variety of filters, mostly b&w, NDs and polarizer. I use the ND
and polarizer mostly, though with the TechPan, if I am going to develop it
for continous tone, I will use the red filter to bring up the contrast. Most
work I do is quite straight forward though.

I would rather concentrate on the subject/emotional aspects of what I want
to convey to the viewer than the equipment used. Unfortunely, it tends to
make me forget to record the tech. aspects of the shot. In fact the
equipment itself is not that important. 

>I've been slowly digesting this book also.  It is simple.  But simplicity
>has a lot to say for itself.  We rarely pause to think what in particular
>appeals to us about a particular picture.  The strongest images to me are
>usually the simplest.  Patterson makes one think about whether the shape,
>color or tones of an image are what strike us.  I think zooms and auto stuff
>make people snap happy (it does it to me).  The reason is it makes the photo
>possibilities too broad and you stop thinking about the image and just react
>instinctively.  Now this has a place, e.g. in journalism where the objective
>is to capture as much as possible and give the editor something to work
>with.  However, as an amateur who shoots for a) the pleasure of being there
>and b) the pleasure of reliving or building on a memory through images, I
>find that having a particular image objectives make it more likely that I
>will return with something that pleases me.  Thus, many of my most enjoyable
>photo excursions have been with a single prime lens, no filters.  Thus also
>the Leica, a simple (on the outside) portable machine that does not tempt
>one to spasms of the forefinger.
>

Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com